The subject invention relates to gas turbines. More particularly, the subject invention relates to the identification and integration of fuel composition information into the cycle and combustion models used to control the gas turbine.
Performance of gas turbines is sensitive to the composition of the fuel feeding the gas turbine combustion system. Uncompensated variation in fuel composition can lead to combustion instabilities (dynamics), increased emissions including NOx and CO, lean blow-out, and reduced flameholding margin or flashback. Timely understanding of varying fuel composition can aid optimization of the combustion system by the gas turbine control system. One method of accomplishing compensation for varying fuel composition includes direct measurement of fuel composition that can be accomplished by a variety of technologies, many of which are costly, slow in response, or otherwise undesirable for control purposes.